Hi,
Saw your post on Artsednet. I was fascinated by the subject matter as =
here in Australia this sort of debate is not being pushed in the media. =
I would really like to read more about it but have not been able to find =
the Edward Miller article in the New York Times. I was wondering if you =
could let me know if it is on the net or what the date was that it =
appeared so that I could try and look it up in the archives. Thanks for =
the thoughtful article.
Gina Grant...

Bob's reply:

As teachers, we are sometimes at a loss for words when combating the =
on-slaughter of any bureaucracy, and particularly when defending our =
role as teacher. Here is an article (extended) from the original - =
published in the Sierra Star, Oakhurst, CA. You may want to make copies =
as a pass-out for a discussion item for your next faculty meeting? Here =
is the article in full. I have mailed the article as both a post and as =
an attachment for those who use them.

Incidentally, this fear of opening attachments is grossly over-blown. =
You receive attachments everyday from the Internet. Perhaps, you are not =
aware of them. Attachments are quicker to send and to receive than are =
regular posts....enjoy!

3 M's to OBLIVION

By

Robert B. Beeching

Excerpted from author Edward Miller

"WHAT WILL AMERICAN EDUCATION LOOK LIKE IN THE NEXT CENTURY?" asks =
author Edward Miller. "For one thing, you can forget about the 'Three =
R's,' student-teacher interaction, and make way for 'Multi-Tasking', =
'Materialistics,' and 'Mind Management.' " where computers will create =
the learning environment, sans teacher.

"Unleashing the Killer Application: Digital Strategies for Market =
Dominance was the subject of a recent meeting of school text publishers =
who are looking at a current $640 billion-a-year market, and wondering =
what is in store for books in 2000 and beyond."

It is not only the publishers who are worried about where technology is =
taking us, but thoughtful parents and teachers who are caught in a =
dilemma of what will comprise future learning modes. Will they be real =
or virtual?

Many parents "fear that their children won't get into the best schools =
or classrooms," states Mr. Miller. "A recent survey indicates that many =
Americans believe that computer training has out-classed the study of =
history, literature, foreign languages, science, the arts, and even =
physical education. In their place, business and industry looks forward =
to employees who are able to do many things at once. Productivity =
suffers when employees are undone by information overload or the demands =
of multi-media, hypertext, and inter-active office."

Employers are more interested in processing their accounts than they are =
in developing thinking individuals. Profits are their motivation, not =
education. This corporate Orwellian approach to education must be =
seriously questioned.

When learning - anything - children tend to concentrate on one task or =
object at a time. That is how they learn to appreciate nature, science, =
and the arts. "A butterfly in the hand" is worth more than any =
computer-generated imagery, as neurologist Frank Wilson states in the =
preface to his latest book: The Hand. "How its use shapes the brain, =
language, and human culture," no manipulation of a keyboard can match.

"Children glued to a computer terminal are not outdoors," neither are =
they in direct contact with their immediate environment. They are not =
learning to read, write, and solve mathematical problems, sing, dance, =
act, or how to play a musical instrument. They have, instead, become =
passive slaves to the television and computer screens - thereby avoiding =
the process of becoming effective and productive members of their =
communities.

If we - as parents and teachers - allow business to have its way with =
general public school instruction, the writing is on the wall where the =
tangible field trip - that alerts all the senses - will eventually be =
replaced by virtual reality field trips on CD's. Instead of hands-on =
arts and science experiments children will become passive observers of =
life. There will be no need of the classroom teacher because computer =
programs will become surrogate teachers with the ability to score tests, =
spew out computer-generated lesson plans, student guides, and report =
cards - all efficient, cost-effective and depersonalized.

"Teachers are often seen as the stumbling block in efforts to digitize =
education" states Miller. In many instances, the classroom teacher has a =
better grip on how children learn than many educational psychologists - =
who along with their business cohorts - have painted a rosy and =
subjective picture of how computer literacy can advance the learning =
process.

>From daily experience, teachers are in constant touch with a child's =
actions and emotions, ready to step in with a personal observation, a =
soothing touch, or a voice of reassurance; something a computer is =
incapable of performing.

Unfortunately these teachers rarely speak up at a faculty or PTA meeting =
in fear of sounding old fashion. They are feeling the enormous weight =
and expense of wiring up their schools; monies deliberately taken away =
from essential classroom realia, materials and supplies, and replacing =
books in the school library with computer stations.

In the rush toward the information super highway, we tend to forget how =
people learn to develop a culture. A machine can never replace the =
awareness, flexibility, sensitivity, and originality of the human =
spirit. Neither can it replace the human inter-action of a teacher =
reading and discussing a story to his or her students, or reacting to =
the spark in a student's eyes.

As with the introduction of the Underwood typewriter in the late 1800's, =
let us hope that electronic computing will eventually settle down to =
become another tool - not the be-all many of its proponents claim - but =
a valuable information and distribution source for the next century.=20

Saw=20
your post on Artsednet. I was fascinated by the subject matter as =
here in=20
Australia this sort of debate is not being pushed in the media. I =
would=20
really like to read more about it but have not been able to find the =
Edward=20
Miller article in the New York Times. I was wondering if you could =
let me=20
know if it is on the net or what the date was that it appeared so that I =
could=20
try and look it up in the archives. Thanks for the thoughtful=20
article.

Gina=20
Grant...

Bob's reply:

As teachers, we are sometimes at a loss for words when combating =
the=20
on-slaughter of any bureaucracy, and particularly when defending our =
role as=20
teacher. Here is an article (extended) from the original - published in =
the=20
Sierra Star, Oakhurst, CA. You may want to make copies as a =
pass-out=20
for a discussion item for your next faculty meeting? Here is the =
article in=20
full. I have mailed the article as both a post and as an attachment =
for=20
those who use them.

Incidentally, this fear of opening attachments is grossly =
over-blown. You=20
receive attachments everyday from the Internet. Perhaps, you are not =
aware of=20
them. Attachments are quicker to send and to receive than are regular=20
posts....enjoy!

3 M's to OBLIVION

By

Robert B. Beeching

Excerpted from author Edward Miller

"WHAT WILL AMERICAN EDUCATION LOOK =
LIKE IN THE=20
NEXT CENTURY?" asks author Edward Miller. "For one thing, you can =
forget=20
about the 'Three R's,' student-teacher interaction, and make way for=20
'Multi-Tasking', 'Materialistics,' and 'Mind Management.' " =
where=20
computers will create the learning environment, sans teacher.

"Unleashing the Killer Application: Digital Strategies for Market =
Dominance=20
was the subject of a recent meeting of school text publishers who are =
looking at=20
a current $640 billion-a-year market, and wondering what is in store for =
books=20
in 2000 and beyond."

It is not only the publishers who are worried about where technology =
is=20
taking us, but thoughtful parents and teachers who are caught in a =
dilemma of=20
what will comprise future learning modes. Will they be real or=20
virtual?

Many parents "fear that their children won't get into the best =
schools or=20
classrooms," states Mr. Miller. "A recent survey indicates that many =
Americans=20
believe that computer training has out-classed the study of history, =
literature,=20
foreign languages, science, the arts, and even physical education. In =
their=20
place, business and industry looks forward to employees who are able to =
do many=20
things at once. Productivity suffers when employees are undone by =
information=20
overload or the demands of multi-media, hypertext, and =
inter-active=20
office."

Employers are more interested in processing their accounts than =
they are=20
in developing thinking individuals. Profits are their motivation, not =
education.=20
This corporate Orwellian approach to education must be seriously=20
questioned.

When learning - anything - children tend to concentrate on one =
task or=20
object at a time. That is how they learn to appreciate nature, science, =
and the=20
arts. "A butterfly in the hand" is worth more than any =
computer-generated=20
imagery, as neurologist Frank Wilson states in the preface to his latest =
book:=20
The Hand. "How its use shapes the brain, language, and =
human=20
culture," no manipulation of a keyboard can match.

"Children glued to a computer terminal are not outdoors," neither are =
they in=20
direct contact with their immediate environment. They are not learning =
to read,=20
write, and solve mathematical problems, sing, dance, act, or how to play =
a=20
musical instrument. They have, instead, become passive slaves to the =
television=20
and computer screens - thereby avoiding the process of becoming =
effective and=20
productive members of their communities.

If we - as parents and teachers - allow business to have its way with =
general=20
public school instruction, the writing is on the wall where the =
tangible=20
field trip - that alerts all the senses - will eventually be replaced by =
virtual reality field trips on CD's. Instead of hands-on arts and =
science=20
experiments children will become passive observers of life. There will =
be no=20
need of the classroom teacher because computer programs will become =
surrogate=20
teachers with the ability to score tests, spew out computer-generated =
lesson=20
plans, student guides, and report cards - all efficient, cost-effective =
and=20
depersonalized.

"Teachers are often seen as the stumbling block in efforts to =
digitize=20
education" states Miller. In many instances, the classroom teacher has a =
better=20
grip on how children learn than many educational psychologists - who =
along with=20
their business cohorts - have painted a rosy and subjective picture of =
how=20
computer literacy can advance the learning process.

From daily experience, teachers are in constant touch with a child's =
actions=20
and emotions, ready to step in with a personal observation, a soothing =
touch, or=20
a voice of reassurance; something a computer is incapable of =
performing.

Unfortunately these teachers rarely speak up at a faculty or PTA =
meeting in=20
fear of sounding old fashion. They are feeling the enormous =
weight and=20
expense of wiring up their schools; monies deliberately taken away from=20
essential classroom realia, materials and supplies, and replacing =
books=20
in the school library with computer stations.

In the rush toward the information super highway, we tend to =
forget=20
how people learn to develop a culture. A machine can never =
replace the=20
awareness, flexibility, sensitivity, and originality of the human =
spirit.=20
Neither can it replace the human inter-action of a teacher reading and=20
discussing a story to his or her students, or reacting to the spark in a =
student's eyes.

As with the introduction of the Underwood typewriter in the =
late=20
1800's, let us hope that electronic computing will eventually =
settle down=20
to become another tool - not the be-all many of its proponents =
claim -=20
but a valuable information and distribution source for the next =
century.=20

"WHAT WILL AMERICAN EDUCATION =
LOOK LIKE IN THE NEXT CENTURY?" asks author Edward Miller. "For one =
thing, you can forget about the 'Three R's,' student-teacher =
interaction, and make way for 'Multi-Tasking', 'Materialistics,' =
and 'Mind Management.' " where computers will create the =
learning environment, sans teacher.

"Unleashing the Killer Application: Digital Strategies for Market =
Dominance was the subject of a recent meeting of school text publishers =
who are looking at a current $640 billion-a-year market, and wondering =
what is in store for books in 2000 and beyond."

It is not only the publishers who are worried about where =
technology is taking us, but thoughtful parents and teachers who are =
caught in a dilemma of what will comprise future learning modes. Will =
they be real or virtual?

Many parents "fear that their children won't get into the best =
schools or classrooms," states Mr. Miller. "A recent survey indicates =
that many Americans believe that computer training has out-classed the =
study of history, literature, foreign languages, science, the arts, and =
even physical education. In their place, business and industry looks =
forward to employees who are able to do many things at once. =
Productivity suffers when employees are undone by information overload =
or the demands of multi-media, hypertext, and inter-active =
office."

Employers are more interested in processing their accounts =
than they are in developing thinking individuals. Profits are their =
motivation, not education. This corporate Orwellian approach to =
education must be seriously questioned.

When learning - anything - children tend to concentrate on =
one task or object at a time. That is how they learn to appreciate =
nature, science, and the arts. "A butterfly in the hand" is worth more =
than any computer-generated imagery, as neurologist Frank Wilson states =
in the preface to his latest book: The Hand. "How its use =
shapes the brain, language, and human culture," no manipulation of a =
keyboard can match.

"Children glued to a computer terminal are not outdoors," neither =
are they in direct contact with their immediate environment. They are =
not learning to read, write, and solve mathematical problems, sing, =
dance, act, or how to play a musical instrument. They have, instead, =
become passive slaves to the television and computer screens - thereby =
avoiding the process of becoming effective and productive members of =
their communities.

If we - as parents and teachers - we allow business to have its =
way with general public school instruction, the writing is on the =
wall where the tangible field trip - that alert all the senses - =
will eventually be replaced by virtual reality field trips on =
CD's. Instead of hands-on arts and science experiments children will =
become passive observers of life. There will be no need of the classroom =
teacher because computer programs will become surrogate teachers with =
the ability to score tests, spew out computer-generated lesson plans, =
student guides, and report cards - all efficient, cost-effective and =
depersonalized.

"Teachers are often seen as the stumbling block in efforts to =
digitize education" states Miller. In many instances, the classroom =
teacher has a better grip on how children learn than many educational =
psychologists - who along with their business cohorts - have painted a =
rosy and subjective picture of how computer literacy can advance the =
learning process.

From daily experience, teachers are in constant touch with a =
child's actions and emotions, ready to step in with a personal =
observation, a soothing touch, or a voice of reassurance; something a =
computer is incapable of performing.

Unfortunately these teachers rarely speak up at a faculty or PTA =
meeting in fear of sounding old fashion. They are feeling the =
enormous weight and expense of wiring up their schools; monies =
deliberately taken away from essential classroom realia, =
materials and supplies, and replacing books in the school library =
with computer stations.

In the rush toward the information super highway, we tend =
to forget how people learn to develop a culture. A machine can =
never replace the awareness, flexibility, sensitivity, and originality =
of the human spirit. Neither can it replace the human inter-action of a =
teacher reading and discussing a story to his or her students, or =
reacting to the spark in a student's eyes.

As with the introduction of the Underwood typewriter in =
the late 1800's, let us hope that electronic computing will =
eventually settle down to become another tool - not the be-all =
many of its proponents claim -but a valuable information and =
distribution source for the next century.